Radiculopathy & sciatica decisions — 2018

The Board has determined that additional development is needed, including obtaining SSA records and scheduling the Veteran for VA examinations to address his claimed conditions. The appeal will be remanded to allow for this development.

The Board has determined that the effective date for service connection of lumbar spine disability and associated lower extremity radiculopathy should be October 30, 2008.

The Board has granted service connection for the Veteran's left leg radiculopathy, finding that it is secondary to his service-connected lumbar spine disorder.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including new examinations to assess the functional impairment resulting from his service-connected cervical and lumbar spine disabilities.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including PTSD and diabetes mellitus, do not prevent him from securing or following a substantially gainful occupation. The Board finds that he is unable to secure or follow such employment due to his age and the nature of his service-connected conditions.

The Veteran's appeal for service connection for bilateral shin splints has been withdrawn. The remaining issues of increased ratings for degenerative arthritis of the lumbar spine and PTSD are remanded for further development.

The Veteran's appeal is being remanded for further development, including obtaining additional medical records and scheduling a VA examination to assess the severity of her service-connected lumbosacral strain and any associated neurological conditions.

The Veteran's lumbar strain with degenerative disc disease and associated radiculopathy of the lower extremities have been rated based on their orthopedic manifestations, resulting in a 20 percent evaluation for each condition.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including degenerative disc disease of the lumbosacral spine and radiculopathies of both lower extremities, result from a common etiology. The Veteran is unable to maintain substantially gainful employment due to his service-connected disabilities.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's low back disability with right lower extremity radiculopathy and neck disability are service connected. The issues of reopening the claim for a low back disability and granting service connection for a neck disability have been resolved in favor of the Veteran.

The Veteran's service-connected disabilities do not render him unemployable, as he has been successfully working during the appeal period and chooses to work part-time.

The Veteran's claim for TDIU was denied as her service-connected disabilities do not render her unable to secure and follow a substantially gainful occupation.

The Veteran's service-connected DDD of the lumbar spine is rated at 20 percent, and his radiculopathy of both lower extremities are each rated at 10 percent prior to November 23, 2015. The ratings remain unchanged as there is no evidence of more than mild incomplete paralysis.

The Veteran's neurogenic bladder is associated with his service-connected herniated disc, L-5/S-1. Service connection for this condition has been granted.

The Board found no evidence of in-service injury or disease that led to the Veteran's current knee, back, and headache conditions. The diagnoses were not incurred during service.

The Veteran's appeal involves multiple issues related to his service-connected degenerative joint disease of the thoracic and lumbar spine, including radiculopathy. The Board has remanded for additional development regarding the timing and severity of neurological manifestations.

The Veteran's claims for increased evaluations of his service-connected lumbar spine degenerative disc disease and spondylosis, Osgood-Schlatter's disease and osteoarthritis, left knee, and incomplete paralysis of the sciatic nerve, left lower extremity radiculopathy are being remanded to obtain additional medical examinations and opinions.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for bilateral hearing loss, right shoulder injury (claimed as bilateral shoulder injury/pain), left shoulder injury (claimed as bilateral shoulder injury/pain), right leg injury (claimed as bilateral leg injury/pain), and left leg injury (claimed as bilateral leg injury/pain). The Veteran has not appealed these decisions.

The Veteran's TDIU claim is being remanded for a combined effects medical opinion that takes into account the current severity of all his service-connected disabilities, including his gastric disability and back disability.

The Board has remanded the case due to the need for additional development, including obtaining relevant medical records and scheduling a VA examination.